Developing Computer Applications to Law - JURD7735

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Postgraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 2
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite: Academic Program must be either 9200, 9210, 5740 or 9230
 
 
Equivalent: JURD7332, LAWS3132, LAWS8035
 
 
Excluded: LAWS8035
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 2 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description


The practice of law is profoundly changing through the application of computers and networked information systems. This subject covers the three technologies central to the computerisation of law and legal reasoning: hypertext and the web; databases and text retrieval; knowledge-based systems. There is a focus on the integration of inferencing systems with hypertext and text retrieval, particularly via the internet, to provide comprehensive legal information systems. Practical applications in law office computerisation, litigation support systems and court computerisation are emphasised.


Recommended Prior Knowledge


Familiarity with the use of a microcomputer and a word processing program is a prerequisite, but a knowledge of programming is not required. Familiarity with computerised legal research is desirable, particularly internet legal research.

Course Objectives


  • To assist students to develop an understanding of the state of art in legal technology and an understanding of likely future developments
  • To give a basic working knowledge of the structure of the internet and its application to the practice of law
  • To give a theoretical and practical understanding of the use of technology in legal decision making (such as expert systems)

Main Topics


Theory:
  • Text retrieval and hypertext in legal applications
  • Knowledge-based legal applications
  • Public policy in access to legal information
  • Litigation support and court technologies
  • Computerisation of legal practice
Practice:
  • Hands on: Building a legal website
  • Hands on: Building a rule-based expert system for law

Assessment


Research essay 50%
Computer project 25%
Construct a legal website 25%
 

Course Texts


Prescribed
There is no suitable text book for this course. Reading materials will be made available on the Internet through links from the class homepage.

Recommended
None

Resources


Reading materials will be made available on the Internet through links from the class homepage.